Container cover construction



March 15, 1938. H. SCURLOCK 2,110,921

CONTAINER-COVER CONSTRUCTION Filed May 8, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jwmwr:

L611. 50w rive/f) L. H. SCURLOCK CONTAINER COVER CONSTRUCTION March 15, 1938.

Filed May 8, 1936 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fwe ruj Lea/L517 'JZurZw/Z Patented Mar. 15, 1938 rreo STATES Erie Claims.

This invention relates to covers for multiple food container units, such as those composed of a plurality of jars arranged in a circle on a rotary support.

*5 Generally stated, the object of the invention and features of construction and combinations tending to increase the general efilciency and desirability of a cover unit of this particular character. v

To these and other useful ends, the invention '20 consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings, in whichi Fig. lis a perspective of a multiple food container unit having a cover unit embodying the principles of the invention. 1

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the said cover unit.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 in Fig. 4 of the drawings, showing certain portions broken away for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a fragmental portion of the cover unit.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail vertical section of the central portion of the cover unit.

Fig. '7 is a detail side elevation of a portion of the said cover unit.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the blank from which the central portion of the cover unit is made.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a plurality of substantially rectangular or wedgeshaped flat metal covers I for the triangular wedgehaped jars or containers 2, which latter are preferably supported on a rotary member 3, suitably supported for rotation on the base 4, shown more clearly in Fig. i of the drawings, the said covers having their inner ends hinged to the central metal section 5, which latter covers the space formed between the inner ends of the jars or containers, and is provided with downwardly extending resilient portions 6 that press against the inner ends of the containers, thereby supporting the multiple cover unit in horizontal position, as shown in the drawings.

Preferably, the portion 5 of the cover unit is formed from a, blank of the shape shown in Fig. 8, having the portions ii extending outwardly as shown, and having other portions 1, that are bent to form sleeves to receive the pintles 8 of the hinges thus provided between the inner ends of the covers and the portion 5, by which the covers are thus connected together.

A bushing Sis inserted downwardly in the central portion of the middle section 5 of the cover unit, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, and a screw I0 is inserted upwardly in said bushing, with a washer I l between the head of said screw and the under surface of the section 5 of the cover unit. A rod l2 has its lower end screw-threaded for insertion in the'upper portion, of the bushing 9, and has its upper end portion bent spirally to provide a spring clip 53 for holding a card M, or other article.

Flanges [5 are provided on the outer edge of the rotary member 3, to hold the jars or containers against outward displacement by centrifugal force, or by the positive pressure of the resilient portions 6, previously mentioned.

The rod I2 is preferably long enough to permit any cover 9 to swing upwardly into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings, so that in this position the cover will rest in an inclined position against the said rod. Each cover is preferably provided with a short projection It, by which the cover can be opened, and each cover is also preferably provided with a notch IT in one outer rounded corner of the cover, for the handle of a spoon or ladle E8, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings.

The multiple food container unit thus provided can be used for various purposes, and by food, it will be understood is meant anything for use in the preparation of foods or drinks or beverages, or anything of a similar nature. As shown, the unit is well adapted for use with soda fountains, for holding the various syrups or other things to be used in the preparation of the beverages. Over night, the unit can be closed, by swinging the covers down flatwise upon the tops of the containers, and the unit, with its contents, can then be kept in a refrigerator until needed again. For this purpose, the rod l2 can be unscrewed from the bushing 9, so that the unit can then be laced between shelves in the refrigerator. When the unit is to be used again, the rod l2 can be screwed into the bushing 9, and can be used as a handle with which to lift the unit into position upon the tops of the containers, and by which to force the resilient portions 6 downwardly between the inner ends of the containers.

Thus constructed, the entire cover unit is removable upwardly from the tops of the containers, and the latter are usable without the cover unit, if such is desired, and while the covers are inseparably connected together, to form the entire cover unit, it is obvious that the individual containers are separable from each other and from the rotary base upon which they are supported.

It will be seen that the resilient means 6 are disposed entirely between the inner ends of the containers, and that they have no portions which overhang the tops of the containers, and that the entire cover unit is supported only by the containers, and not by anything else. The covers are hinge connected together, so that each one opens and closes about a single axis, and in eifect the covers are thus hinge connected to the resilient means 6, as each cover is hinge connected to the center or middle member 5, and the latter is integral with the resilient means 6, so that in efiect the covers and resilient means are hinge connected together, whereby a complete multiple cover unit is provided that can be removed intact from the tops of the containers, without the necessity of disconnecting such unit from anything else.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a multiple container unit, for foods or similar things, a plurality of containers arranged in a circle with space between their inner ends, a connecting member overlying said space, supported entirely by the containers, and covers hinged to the outer edge of said connecting member, one for the top of each container, so that the covers are connected together to form a cover unit which is supported entirely by the containers, and only held in position by the latter, for accessibly closing the tops of the containers, the entire unit being removable upwardly and intact from the tops of said containers, a rotary member upon which the containers are supported, having its outer edge provided with upturned engaging means to hold the containers against outward displacement, and resilient means on the bottom of said connecting member insertable downwardly between the containers for exerting yielding pressure substantially radially against the inner ends of the containers, serving to keep the latter pressed horizontally against said engaging means.

2. In a multiple container unit, for foods or similar things, a plurality of containers arranged in a circle with space between their inner ends, a connecting member overlying said space, supported entirely by the containers, and covers hinged to the outer edge of said connecting member, one for the top of each container, so that the covers are connected together to form a cover unit which is supported entirely by the containers, and only held in position by the latter, for accessibly closing the tops of the containers, the entire unit being removable upwardly and intact from the tops of said containers, resilient portions extending downwardly from the lower side of said connecting member and exerting yielding pressure against the inner ends of the containers, together with means for holding the containers against outward displacement by said yielding pressure.

3. In a multiple food container unit, in combination with a plurality of containers arranged in a circle, with space between their ends, a rotary member for supporting said containers, provided at its outer edge with flange means to prevent outward displacement of the containers, and flexible resilient means inserted downwardly and disposed entirely in the vertical space between the inner ends of said containers and operative for exerting yielding pressure substantially radially against only the inner ends of said containers, serving to keep the latter pressed horizontally against said flange means.

4. A structure as specified in claim 3, comprising means whereby said resilient means is supported by the containers and thereby held by the latter against downward displacement.

5. A structure as specified in claim 3, comprising covers for the tops of the containers, hinge connected together and to said resilient means, said covers forming a unit entirely supported by the containers.

LEWIS H. SCURLOCK. 

